The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-07

trines. In order that ne one of the
funds to which the poll tax Is appll~
cable may suffer diminut:on, 1t Is
proposed to levy a tax of not more
than ten cents on tue $1oo worth OF
property to raise the annual dues Tor
poll tax worked out on the roads :.
The substance of this is that the
magistrates should give their atter-
tion, the road oversecrs their labor
and time, IN order that the school
fund nay not suffer that gets about
three fourths of the poll tax.
Why not let the law upon this
subject remain as it now is, Inc
commissioners argue that a law
making 1T misuemeanOr TO fail to
cav taxes would be constitutional.
Our Supreme Court now has case
b. fore itlnvolviug this point. Ii the
law is constitutional. then let it re
main as it is. The sub stance of til
law is, as it now stands. that a per
son falling to pay his taxes for SIX
mouths after he shall be returned
as delinquent or as an lnsolved
shall be gully of mlsdemeanor ano
find &c-This law is PLAN aud sins
pie and 1t can be easily executed.
Sec. 6, page Al, proposes that tn,
State shall be divided into twelve
tax districts, and that the chairma ,
IF the boards of Commissioners
| shall con ,tltute the district board
Sec. l., page 45, proposes that the
district board shall make recommen-
la,ions to the Auditor (which should
he fixed as the average value in
mo. ey per acre of land IN each
county of the district What should
oe fixed as the average value Of each
! kind of live stock in each county
&c.
We can see neither reason nor us.
in having this district board, wner
is only duty is to make recommen>
latlons.
carefully read. It is to be hoped
that no such powers as are here
conferred will ever be giveu to an
body of men in the State, Such :
law will give twelve or thil teen mel
power, the absolute and uucontr0l
able mower, to override tie Cens,itr
tiou at will. Why? because it give:
The State Board the arbitrary power
to fix the value OF every acre Of lane
the value of every home in Nor I'll
Carolina. How could the cons titu.
ton be e,aded in this way? be
cause there il now provision tina
he rate of taxation shsll never ex
Gee 663 cents on the s1oo valuatio,
of property. "A home row v;luec
at S1oo pays OILY 663 c,nts take.
Raise his value to 5000 and yo,
make the same home pay $1,331
cents taxes, and thus would be &C
complishcd Indirectly what the fur
lamental law of the land saws shall
never be done.
1t is true that he district hoarC
is given the power at vast expens.
to make recommendation it is tru,
that the county assession and lis
taken are provided for, but Their
work is Of no use, it is labor los
md an enormous expense for moth
ING. Ii we understand the proposed
law correctly its workings would b,
on this order.
The district loara would recon-,
mend only, tie county assession ant
list takrn would GO through tn,
form OF valuation, but there is IL
use in this. for suppose the list taker
and asses ors should find tIat ther,
were 1000 mules in Ha if Count,
and tt ey should fix the value O
them at 100000 or $1oo per head
This would emount to nothing, io]
then the State Board Of equalization
may have alrt ady fixed the averao.
Value OF mule for Halifax Count,
at Sl25, this being the case. the
County board of assessors wopIC
ave to add to the true value al
ready fixed twenty-five percent ST.
wou.f. 1t he in reyar.l to lan.l and CIV
'ry other KNIT of property. ReaC
sections IL, r.. Is and Ia. Their
read section, TO. On pages SO and q
and 1t will he seen that the abe, i.
a correct view Of this subject. Nov
If the people want such a law as this
why hove a1district board, why hav,
County assessors, why have an,
thing but list takers and a Stat.
Beard. for the work Of all under lh,
! proposed law save those two is .